Average rating based on 1 review(s)

Had mine for about 18 months now and very happy with it. Some notes on handling: Take-off/landing: VB fully off is the recommendation of Steve Elkins as it allows full roll authority. Flare is no problem in this state but the cues for flare are a bit less positive than previous gliders that I have flown. Steve told me to really concentrate on back pressure on the uprights, when it starts to push back with increasing force (root starting to stall, less lift forwards) that is the flare cue. Since this I have had no trouble landing. The flare window is large and forgiving. Take off is very straightforward, although pitch is light it is worth making a proper effort to keep it on the ground until plenty of speed is present as it is easy to float off much too early. General flying: Both pitch and roll are light. With full VB the pitch is very light but still positive although it is a bit of a shock just how light it can go. Turning flight is lovely as long as you coordinate the pitch properly, if you don't you will feel that you are yawing all over the place. This can be handy if you need to dump some height on approach, a quick pull in while turning gives a nice little sidslip without the speed running away. One feature that has surprised a couple of people who have tried my wing is that when the VB is pulled on the bar trim position hardly changes. This is due to the upward kink of the outer leading edges, increased sail tension reduces tip washout but gives a relative increase in washout mid span so the combined effect is that trim stays pretty much where it is. VB off the roll forces are very light indeed and the roll response is very quick. Pulling speed really does need a bit of VB as the higher speed results in excessively light roll response and dutch roll is hard to avoid. With correct VB use it flies on rails and is very predictable and precise. With full VB it is still nicely controllable with modest roll forces as long as the speed is appropriate to the VB setting. Mix this with good pitch coordination and the light control forces and it is a very non-tiring wing to fly. Stalling is undramatic with a light buffet for warning and a need for very long arms. When the stall break does occur it is positive but not dramatic and there is no tendency to wing drop. Obviously hauling a load of VB and doing it again a tip can be made to drop and I am sure that I could spin it if so inclined. There would be no excuse for an inadvertent stall however as you would need to spend a lot of time at a ridiculously low speed to get into this situation. It can also hold a very stable deliberate mush to dump height as the soft stall makes this very easy to judge, VB off of course. A surprise was that the roll handling lasts right up to the stall and almost to the break. This allows some very questionable landing approaches to be flown, coming in too low and running it out while still turning into wind as I managed on one occasion. I would not get away with that on any of my previous gliders. Performance: Plenty as far as I can tell. My logger suggests that a still air glide in excess of 15:1 is regularly achieved and that is with my draggy old podlite harness. Sink rate is good and at least similar to other current high performance wings. . Where it really scores is manoeuvring in small rough thermals low down, you can really chuck it around with an ever increasing silly grin on your face. Construction: It has a really beautiful airframe, well finished with lots of lovely detail features. The control frame design is unique to Avian and involves a threaded pin throuhg the centre of a stramlines acorn fairing at the base bar corners. The cross boom is a rectangular section carbon fibre unit pulled back via an elegantly machined light alloy arm extending aft of the junction. The stinger is a nice elliptical section carbon fibre unit and carbon fibre is also used for the outer leading edges and sprogs (I went with all the carbon options). All fittings are machined light alloy attractively gold anodised. The sail, when fully tensioned, has a superbly smooth surface, it almost looks machined and the Avian batten end fittings are very neat indeed and immune from the release-in-flight malfunction on flip tip battens from other manufacturers. If you want a modern wing with reliable light handling and plenty of performance and very photogenic looks this is a very good choice. Become an Avianator?

Rated by Jonathan
Result Pages: